Mr. Toy's
Unofficial Visitors Guide to the Monterey Peninsula
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Mr. Toy Welcomes You to Monterey!

A path in the Del Monte Forest

 The communities of the Monterey Peninsula are situated in an area of natural beauty which rivals many of our national parks. It is comprised of several small cities and villages including Monterey, Pacific Grove, Carmel, Pebble Beach, Seaside and more.

Despite their proximity, each town had unique origins. Monterey was founded by the Spanish in 1770 and was once the center of government for all of California. Carmel started with the establishment of the mission, and was later a colony for artists and free-thinkers who fled San Francisco after the 1906 earthquake. Pacific Grove began as a Methodist retreat. Pebble Beach was founded as a playground for the rich and famous.

These varied origins spawned a tremendously rich and diverse local culture that is little understood by outsiders. Each town honors unique traditions and local residents work hard to preserve them. Monterey, a small bustling city with a rich history, is the hub of activity. Tourism and commercial fishing have been the foundation of the city's economy since the 19th Century. Life in Carmel is intimately tied to the natural landscape and the town has become the peninsula's focal point for the fine arts. Pacific Grove maintains a wholesome Small-Town America feel and remains relatively unaffected by the tourism industry. Pebble Beach is still the place for the rich and famous, especially those who play golf.

Mr. Toy has never played golf.
The garden behind the Cooper-Molera adobe This visitor's guide is the place to learn what the tourist guidebooks don't tell you about visiting the Monterey Peninsula. It is given free to you as a gift from Mr. Toy, a native of Carmel. Mr. Toy knows how to get around. He knows all of the secret hideaways. He knows how to distinguish between the genuine Monterey Peninsula, and the tourist traps. Mr. Toy knows this place like it was his own home, because it is!

This doesn't mean you can throw your guidebooks away. We actually encourage you to pick up one or two from the Toy Box Store. They list some great attractions, and you'll still need them to find a place to sleep. But once you've been there and done that, you'll be hungering for something more satisfying.

So grab your mouse, warm up the printer, and take this stuff on the road.

Mr. Toy's Unofficial Visitors Guide
will give you too much information about:

For further information
write to Mr. Toy

Self opening mailbox
Note: To maintain Mr. Toy's independence, he does not accept any direct financial compensation from local businesses for this guide. This leaves the author free to present a realistic assessment of the community and its resources, rather than a sterilized, sanitized, gift-wrapped, lowest common denominator sort of web browsing experience that you'll find in most other guides. Any businesses mentioned herein are there because Mr. Toy likes the goods and services they provide, or because they have an important place in the community, not because they have done anything $pecial to get themselves listed in here. OK?

Expedia.com

The way back to the
This'll get you back to the beginning.

 For a more formal look at Monterey Peninsula attractions try these: